Improvement in seed-droppers



' H 2 Sheetv-Shee T Z. L MORTON & L P.3PAULDING.

lmprovement in Seed Dropper.

. 25 7 Patented April9,187 2.

i 2 Sheets--Sheet 1.- MORTON & J. P. SPAU LDIN G.

Improvement in Seed Dropper.

No. 125,476, Patented Apri|9,1872.

l l s s m a'zzesses. Invent/@013 fmm Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MORTON AND JOHN P. SPAULDING, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEED-DROPPERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,476, dated April 9, 1872 antedatcd March 23, 1872.

To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known that JAMES Monitor: and J NO. P. SPAULDING, of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a new and valuableImprovementin the Rotary Oorn- Drop Attachment; and they do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a part of this specification and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a representation of a vertical longitudinal section of our invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the under side, of our invention.

This invention has relation to corn-planters, and the novelty consists in the construction and arrangement of the corndroppin g devices,

- whereby an exact number of grains may be deposited in each hill.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, A represents a hopper, having a sunken chamber, B, of a circular form. (J represents a circular disk, designed to rotate in said chamber, and therefore secured to or furnished with a spindle, D, j ournaled atitslowor end to the bottom of chamber 13, and at its upper end to a transverse bar, D. The disk 0 is constructed with a flange, O, projecting from its peripheries, and fitting the interior of the chamber, a space being left between it and the top of said disk to hold the grain. E designates notches cut in the flange O, of a size and shape to hold a single grain of corn standing on edge. F is a curved slot, cut

through the bottom of the chamber B, and of a length equal to the extent of space occupied by three or other definite number of the notches I). The disk rotates With an intermittent motion, and as the notches in sets attain their 'POSltIOIIS above the slots F to let fall their contents into each hill. G represents an inclined spring, curved to fit the space above the notches E, and secured therein above the slot F. One end of said spring rests on the flange O, and serves to throwback the superfluous quantities of grain which are carried toward the slot F. H denotes a cam, secured to the lower end of the spindle D. Itis constructed with three curved sides, h, terminating each in a shoulder or catch, h. a I represents a slide, arranged to play through slots in the frame J, and furnished with an upright lever, K, to work it. To one end of said slide is attached a pair of adjustable spring-jaws,

L L of which L is formed with a holeflfl. Said jaws diverge so as to embrace the cam H.

When the slide is vibrated, the jaws move forward, one sliding over one of the curved sides of the cam, and the other pressing against one of the shoulders h, and thrusting the cam around toward the first, which finally grasps the 'approachin g shoulder, and, by areverse motion of the slide, pulls it back, and continues the rotation of the cam, and gives an intermittent rotary motion to the disk O. The jaws are imade adjustable by being slotted, and secured to the slide I by a transverse bolt, I. The size of the cam is to be changed to suit the number of grains desired to be deposited in each hill.

WV e claim as our invention- The cam H, attachedbeneath the notched disk 0, in combination with the double-actin g springjaws L L and slide I, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that th ey claim the above they have hereunto subscribed their names in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MORTON. JOHN P. SPAULDING.

Witnesses:

B. JONES, TAYLOR RUE. 

